HIROSHI
KOIZUMI Born on
August 12, 1926 in Kamakura City, Japan, Hiroshi Koizumi,
graduated from Keio University in 1948, and joined NHK television
as an announcer. He was selected as part of the 3rd annual
Toho New Face acting class in 1951. He soon made his acting
debut the following year in Kon Ichikawa's MR. LUCKY (1952)
and appeared in four other films that same year. The hansome
leading man was featured as a young urban hipster in such
films as MY WONDERFUL and MR. PU (both in 1953), and found
himself constantly in demand.

In 1955,
Koizumi made his first appearance in Toho's fantasy films,
starring as the hero "Shoichi Tsukioka" in GODZILLA
RAIDS AGAIN. Koizumi first worked with genre director Ishiro
Honda in 1957 in BE HAPPY, YOU TWO, and worked for Honda
several times in fantasy films, most notably as scientists,
such as ATRAGON (1963) and CATASTROPHE: 1999 (1974), and
appeared in Godzilla's 10th, 20th, and 30th anniversary
films: GODZILLA VS. THE THING (1964), GHIDRAH: THE THREE-HEADED
MONSTER (1964), GODZILLA VS. MECHAGODZILLA (1974), and GODZILLA
1985 (1984).

One
of his best remembered roles was that of "Shinichi
Chujo" in the spectacular MOTHRA (1961), which he reprised
42 years later for GODZILLA: TOKYO SOS (2003). Looking back,
he sites his favorite fantasy film being Honda's MATANGO
(1963), in which he co-starred with fellow GODZILLAFEST
Guest of Honor, Akira Kubo.

Koizumi
also appeared in a number of dramas and high-profile pictures
for some of Japan's most famous directors, such as Mikio
Naruse's LATE CHYSANTHEMUMS (1954), Shuei Matsubayashi's
I BOMBED PEARL HARBOR (1960) and Hiroshi Inagaki's CHUSHINGURA
(1962). In the 1990s, Koizumi served as a producer, and
also served as the popular host of the long-running game
show "Quiz Grand Prix," and is still acting today.
GODZILLAFEST is Mr. Koizumi's first appearance on the West
Coast.

AKIRA
KUBOBorn on
December 1, 1936 in Tokyo, Akira Kubo made his acting debut
in 1952 for director Seiji Maruyama in the youth film ADOLESCENCE.
Kubo first worked with genre specialist director Ishiro Honda
the next year in ADOLESCENCE PART II and the war drama FAREWELL
RABAUL (1954).

Kubo
soon became a very popular young star after appearing in
director Senkichi Taniguchi's THE SOUND OF WAVES (1954),
based on the novel by Yukio Mishima, and he also appeared
in films by noted directors, such as Shiro Toyoda's THE
GRASS WHISTLE (1955) and Mikio Naruse's A WHISTLE IN MY
HEART (1957).

Kubo
appeared in many period dramas throughout his career, including
Akira Kurosawa's THRONE OF BLOOD (1957) and SANJURO (1962)
as well as Hiroshi Inagaki's CHUSHINGURA (1962) and WIRLWIND
(1964) -- and war films such as Seiji Maruyama's RETREAT
FROM KISKA (1965) and BATTLE OF JAPAN SEA (1969).

As one
of Toho`s stable of young, popular thespians, Kubo's was
cast as restless and determined young heroes, as the amesiatic
astronaut "Tatsuo Kanai" in Ishiro Honda's GORATH
(1962), the tourtured "Kenji Murai" in MATANGO
(1963); nerdy "Tetsuo Torii" in MONSTER ZERO (1965),
the photo-journalist Goro Maki in SON OF GODZILLA (1967),
the no-nonsense SY-3 captain "Katsuo Yamabe" in
DESTROY ALL MONSTERS (1968) and combat journalist "Taro
Kudo" in YOG: MONSER FROM SPACE (1970).

Kubo
continues to act, and has most recently appeared in Hiroshi
Teshigahara's RIKIYU (1989), Koreyoshi Kurahara's HIROSHIMA
(1995) and Yutaka Osawa's I LOVE YOU (1999). Kubo returned
to the kaiju eiga in a cameo, as the captain of a nuclear
transport ship, in Shusuke Kaneko's GAMERA: GUARDIAN OF
THE UNIVERSE (1995). GODZILLAFEST is Mr. Kubo's first-ever
US appearance.

TSUTOMU
KITAGAWATsutomu
Kitagawa (b.12/21/1957) joined Sonny Chiba's legendary Japan
Action Club movie stunt organization in January of 1975, shortly
after graduating High School in Sakuragaoka, Tokyo. Nicknamed
"Kita" ("Tom" to his American friends),
he quickly moved up the ranks, and became one of JAC's top
stuntmen. He was assigned to the Super Sentai series, where
he played the costumed blue or black rangers in Toei Company
Ltd.'s ever-popular television series, better known in the
US as "Power Rangers."

Mr.
Kitagawa left the JAC organization in 1994 to become a freelance
stuntman, and landed the job of playing the famous three-headed
monster, King Ghidorah in Toho Motion Picture Company's
1998 production of REBIRTH OF MOTHRA 3: INVASION OF KING
GHIDORAH. Soon afterwards, he was offered the honored role
of playing Japan's most famous creation, Godzilla in GODZILLA
2000 (1999). Mr. Kitagawa also climbed into the monster
suit again for GODZILLA VS. MEGAGUIRUS (2000), GODZILLA
AGAINST MECHAGODZILLA (2002) and GODZILLA: TOKYO SOS (2003).

This
past year, he was given the role as Action Director for
the monster scenes in Toho's upcoming GODZILLA FINAL WARS,
in which he also returns as the title King of the Monsters.
The film will have its World Premiere in Hollywood in
late November, and open nationwide in Japan on December
14, 2004.

GODZILLAFEST
will be Mr. Kitagawa's first US apperance, and will be interviewed
live, take questions from the audience, and sign autographs
in the lobby of the Castro Theatre throughout the seven-day
event (dates and times of appearances and autograph sessions,
to be announced).

RUSS
TAMBLYNBorn in
Los Angeles on December 30, 1934 to character actor Eddie
Tamblyn, Russ Tamblyn was a child star who made a transition
to a successful acting career as an adult. After starring
as the titular character in THE BOY WITH GREEN HAIR (1948)
when he was just a teenager (then billed as "Rusty"),
he appeared in a string of stage, radio, and motion picture
productions, including the films SAMSON AND DELILAH, GUN CRAZY
(both 1949), FATHER OF THE BRIDE (1950), and HIGH SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL!
(1958).

His
skill as a champion gymnast and acrobat at West Hollywood
High School made him well-suited for the acrobatic dancing
seen in SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS (1954), HIT THE DECK
(1954), his best-loved classic WEST SIDE STORY (1961), and
the epic HOW THE WEST WAS WON (1962). Mr. Tamblyn also appeared
in the classic fantasy films TOM THUMB (1958), THE WONDERFUL
WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM (1962), and THE HAUNTING (1963).
He was nominated for the Academy Award® for Best Supporting
Actor for his role in PEYTON PLACE (1957).

Even
after leaving the movie industry in the late 1960s to focus
on his interests in the arts, he occasionally came out of
semi-retirement to appear in films for friends like Dennis
Hopper (THE LAST MOVIE, 1971) and Dean Stockwell (WIN, PLACE
OR STEAL, 1975). He had a major comeback with the role of
"Dr. Jacoby" in the cult David Lynch teleseries
TWIN PEAKS (1990-1991). Still acting today, Mr. Tamblyn has
appeared in such recent television outings as BABYLON 5, but
concentrates on managing the acting career of his daughter,
Amber (THE RING, JOAN OF ARCADIA). His brother is Larry Tamblyn
of the 1960s rock band The Standells.

In
1966, he starred in the film for which he is known by kaiju
eiga fans around the world; Toho's WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS.
As "Dr. Paul Stewart", Mr. Tamblyn (alongside Kumi
Mizuno and Kenji Sahara) attempted to uncover the mysterious
connection between the peaceful creature Sanda and the man-eating
monster Gaira. In the years since the films release,
he has rarely spoken of the movie or his involvement in its
production. Now that is all about to change

Godzillafest
is hosting a rare theatrical screening of WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS,
and we are pleased to announce that Russ Tamblyn will attend
the film, take part in his first-ever Q&A about the movie,
and be available to sign autographs and talk with fans. Its
taken decades for this to happen, so dont miss this
great opportunity to meet an American star of one of the classics
from Tohos Golden Age!

Mr.
Tamblyn Sponsored by Tsuburaya Productions Co., ltd

JERRY
ITOBorn in New York City, Jerry Ito was a popular
and well-known entertainer and Master of Ceremonies in the
nightclubs and cabarets of post-war Tokyo. Because of his
command of Japanese and English, Mr. Ito was tapped for a
number of acting roles on television and feature films.

His
best-remembered -- and loved -- role was that of the vile
Clark Nelson, the dispicable international treasure-hunter,
who snatches the Twin Faeries from Infant Island in MOTHRA
(1961). Other fantastic film roles include THE MANSTER (shot
in the late 1950s, but not released until the early 1960s),
a US horror potboiler filmed in Japan, and Shuei Matsubayashi's
end-of-the-world thriller, THE LAST WAR (1961).

Mr.
Ito Sponsored by Clawmark Toys

ED
KEANEEd Keane became attached to
Japan during the Korean War, and moved there in the late 1950s.
Soon afterwards, he became involved with the film industry,
starting with EMPEROR MEIJI AND THE RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR (1957)
-- where he proved to be invaluable, since he spoke fluent
Russian.

Mr.
Keane co-founded the "Kokusai
Agency" to hire gaijin talent for Japanese films -- and
US films shot in Japan, such as John Huston's THE BARBARIAN
AND THE GEISHA (1958), Raoul Walsh's MARINES LET'S GO (1961)
and MY GEISHA (1962), with Shirley MacLaine.

He
would often cast himself in films, and is best remembered
by kaiju fans as the "Mayor of New Kirk City" in
MOTHRA (1961). During his career, Mr. Keane had the distinction
of torturing Tatsuya Nakadai in the HUMAN CONDITION (1959)
and being slapped up by Toshiro Mifune in BOSS OF THE UNDERWORLD
(1959).

Mr.
Keane can also be seen in, among others, ATOMIC RULERS OF
THE WORLD (1957), BATTLE IN OUTER SPACE (1959), THE LAST WAR
(1961) and GORATH (1962).

BOB
WILKINSIf you grew up in Northern California
in the 60s / 70s, you probably remember the late night horrorfest
on Friday and Saturdays, broadcast on KTVU Channel 2 Oakland,
and hosted by the one and only Bob Wilkins.

Bob was a true horror icon, and he gave Night of the Living
Dead
it's national TV premiere in the early 70s. He left the show
in the late 70s, to be replaced by John Stanley, who took
the show to it's next level.

JOHN
STANLEYJohn Stanley
hosted the popular Creature Features TV series in the San
Francisco Bay area for six years. He has covered the science
fiction, fantasy, and horror scene for the San Francisco Chronicle
for more than thirty years. He has interviewed dozens of superstars
and genre stars.

John also wrote and produced the 1976 feature NIGHTMARE IN
BLOOD (available on DVD through Image Entertainment) and has
authored the Creature Features Movie Guide series of movie-review
books

CLEVE
HALLCleve hall
has been a Creature Fabricator for 27 years, but is best known
to Kaiju fans as the actor in the Godzilla suit in PEE WEE'S
BIG ADVENTURE, for which he also made the suits. His exposure
to this genre started at the age of one when his mother took
him to see Mothra and Gorgo... a four years later, after seeing
GODZILLA VS THE THING, his destiny was set. At this early
age he knew he wanted to make and play monsters.

He
has appeared in dozens of low budget horror films in the 80's,
always as a mad killer, and was responsible for the monster
dog in Sandlot, the creatures in Troll and Terrorvision, and
contributed to the gore in Re-animator. His most recent monster
projects have been Monster Smash, a kaiju battle show and
the giant ant effects for Fred Olan Ray's the Glass House.
He now divides his time between making monsters, raising his
daughter's, and playing in the Goth band Insecto Circus.